In total, there are 7 members of the Modern Design Lab, so after everyone submitted their block design for Part 1 of the April design challenge, it was time for me to try to use them as inspiration for a full quilt design. I do my computer design in Inkscape, so I pulled all the images into a new file and set myself some parameters for how to move forward.
- When I’m doing computer based quilt design, I like to give myself a time limit for working with an idea. If I get “stuck” on something for more than 15 minutes, then it probably means I’m trying too hard to force it to become something.
- I was aiming to try to use something from every block, whether it be a direct influence or not.
First Design Doodle
This is the first design doodle that I started with. I began with influence from Valorie’s block that I shared last week coupled with a log cabin variation (influenced by another submitted block) but with logs constructed in elongated flying geese which was based on yet another submitted block. But then I was stumped on how to proceed. I didn’t want to just design more blocks, and I didn’t want to turn this into a medallion quilt, and I was quickly approaching my 15 minute rule, so I set it aside.
MDL April Quilt Design
My next approach focused on the feathered plus shape that I was attracted to in Cheryl’s block that I shared last week. I then took elements of other blocks and set them around the center of the plus. I also rotated the plus into an x and then placed elements of my block design around those shapes. Now I was getting somewhere! I incorporated gray as the background in a nod to Valerie’s block, and used ample negative space which was used in another submitted block. The colors were pulled from the final quilt block, and in all the whole design came together in under 15 minutes for me!
Overall, if I were going to make the quilt, I would need to refine it more and check on piece sizes and templates, but I’m pretty pleased with the resulting design. I’ve never used a grouping of blocks as a design prompt before, so it was a new challenge and experience.
These blocks are very interesting, in their looks the first one in the row of blocks reminds me of a diamond or another precious jewel, with the angles. The one on the bottom catches my eye due to its curves, I love this design, if it doesn’t get chosen can we make this as a QAL??? Please, ask these lovely ladies if they would mind, I know I’m a brat!
Yvonne, you really took it to the next level. How you combined the blocks into new designs was very clever!
This is beautiful! I would love to have a quilt like this! Would buy the pattern in a heartbeat…very clever design!
I really liked Cheryl’s feathered plus shape and love what you have done with this! Tis a beauty.
Lots of interesting challenges rolled into one with this group!
Very interesting blocks and your colour scheme brings them all together with such clarity.
On a separate note: When I’ve opened you blog posts recently the ‘like’ button always gets stuck ‘loading’ and never actually appears. I wonder if other readers have found the same?
It’s an interesting design. Love the different blocks and how the “X” ties them all together.
What interesting blocks! I love a blue and white colorway so think this would be so cool to make up!